Monday, December 8, 2008

Monday Mission: Preparing a project, Loki-style

Iz nearlee 1030 on Monday but I wuz busy today so I didn't decide on a Monday Mission until nao, after talking wif Kittyanydots.

Hoomans seem to think I gets lots uv thingz done. I don't get az much az I would likes done, I wish I wuzn't tempted to take so many naps, but sumhao I gets moar done than sum otherz so I thought this Monday Mission shud be abouts that.

The Idea iz when you gets a flash uv inspiration. Iz when two thingz collide in your head and makes a third thing that iz bigger than the two thingz. There iz no such thing az anything original because everything we make buildz upon sumthing from befoar that has collided wif sumthing else from befoar.

Iz important fur artists to understand this becuz it releases you frum obligation and stress. You do not needz to be original az much az you needz to make sumthing better from two other thingz. Then your style will takes care uv itself and that iz the original part.

The Brainstormingz iz when you mix these thingz in your head and gets moar little ideas that will helps you. Iz a good idea to listen to music when you do this becuz music encouragez your brain to wander and put together connectionz. Iz also a good idea to do this in the middle uv the night when you iz tired or when you are about to fall asleep. You wants your brain to connect moar thingz than normal in unusual ways.

Once it doez, you has to pick a time to stop the Brainstormingz and start the Preparationz. Many talented artists get stucks here. Sum fur their entire livez. You need to say to yourselfs, "I iz starting in two dayz whether I iz ready or not." If you don't, you will never be done thinking. You will be sumone who thought about starting to dream about doing sumthing great instead uv sumone who does sumthing great. Iz a trap. Pick a deadline to start and sticks to it no matter what happens.

The Preparationz iz when you puts togethur your suppliez and stuffs. Sumtimes it haz research material. Sumtimez it haz your physical toolz. But like befoar, your brain iz the most important. You has to have a time and place set aside to do this that izn't used fur anything else. And you has to dress fur work. When you has sumthing you wears just fur wurking on a project and you wearz it in the time and place it helps your brain concentrate.

The Big Strokes iz when you start working on the project. Thiz iz sketches or scripts or outlines or big globz of paint. Whatever you iz working with. If your Big Strokes require a lot uv thought, like if you iz making storyboards or you iz putting together details fur a character in a storee or you has to make sure sum spreadsheets haz the right formulaz, iz not a good idea to listen to music heer becuz music encouragez your brain to wander. You do not wants to think about two things at once when you has to concentrate on one thing.

The Little Strokes iz when you has the big stuffs in place and nao you fix it up. You don't do little things until the big thingz iz taken care uv. Iz like decorating a cake befoar you bake it, silly! Once you has baked a cake, you lets it cool. Then you coverz it in frosting. THEN you puts on the decorations. If you puts on the roses befoar you bake it the cake will be ruined.

The Abandonment iz hard to explain to anyone who isn't an artist. Art iz never finished. At sum point you has to give up and leave it where it iz. Iz never going to stay purrfect. What may be purrfect one minute will be imperfect again when you come back a minute later after a different thought comes in your head. You has to move on and let your art be. Almost az many artists get stuck here az get stuck between Brainstormingz and Preparationz. Pick a deadline and finish it.The Boring Stuffs. Every project haz boring stuffs. In writing this iz editing. In picturez it starts with fixative or mat cuttingz or making different resolutionz fur the internets. Then it movez on to trying to sell it. Selling iz very boring. Iz why sum people puts it off or doesn't work very hard at it, including me. No one likes to write cover letterz and tee shirt descriptions but it haz to be done. No one likes cleaning up, either, but it has to be done, too.

This is why every Tuesday I has no projects scheduled. I has Procrastination Day instead. I wurks on stuffs like selling and public relationz and letterz I shud have written but didn't cuz I wanted to make a cartoon instead. I also puts imagez on tee shirts and writes descripshuns. I does file backups and deletes or throws out sketches that went nowherez. I inventory and order art suppliez or printer ink or paper.

My Monday Mission iz to plan a noo project fur January uzing this breakdown. I already haz the idea. Iz a book abouts caring fur hoomans. Nao I haz to get it moving. Wish me luck!